Governor Prospects Debate Private College Funding

April 21, 1993|by SEAN CONNOLLY, The Morning Call

Even though the election is more than one year away, five governor wanna-bes spent yesterday morning telling private college officials how they would handle higher education issues if elected governor.

None of the panelists have formally declared their candidacies, but all of them sounded very much like candidates. Ironically, the only candidate who has formally announced, U.S. Rep. Tom Ridge of Erie, couldn't participate in the panel discussion because he had commitments in Washington.

Billed as "potential gubernatorial candidates," the participants included: Lt. Gov. Mark Singel and state House Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans, both Democrats; and state Sens. Earl Baker and Mike Fisher and Attorney General Ernie Preate, all Republicans.

Some praised the panel discussion as a campaign kickoff that gave voters a way to size up potential candidates for governor.

"The day of the annointed candidate is over," Baker said. "The parties can't hand-pick candidates. The parties and the voters ultimately want to choose."

Others downplayed the political significance of the panel discussion.

"It's way too early to begin the banter of political debate," Singel said.

But that didn't keep the presidents of the private colleges and universities from pelting the candidates with concerns over the financial health of their institutions.

John Synodinos, president of Lebanon Valley College, blasted the state officials for giving public universities nearly $380 million to renovate and expand buildings. He said that money will allow public institutions to take in more students, diminishing the already-receding market share of private schools.

Synodinos said the state could save money by helping private schools rather than enlarging public ones. He said the state spends about $4,000 per student to subsidize public colleges and universities.

Singel and Evans explained that the $380 million spent on building projects at public institutions was designed to create jobs, not tip the balance between public and private schools. The money was part of the Casey Administration's "Operation Jump Start," which was aimed at helping the state's slow economy through capital projects.

If that's the case, Waynesburg College President Tim Thyreen said, the state should have gave building funds to private schools to create jobs within their communities. Thyreen said many of the private institutions are located in rural areas that are economically troubled.

"We don't have a Los Angeles. We don't have something to burn," he said.

The candidates said they would be willing to discuss funding options for private college building programs. Fisher suggested a program of low-interest loans to help the schools renovate.

But Evans said he would not support any new programs or spend any more tax money until the role of private colleges and universities is deliberated and defined. Evans said the state shouldn't pit public schools against private schools for available tax money or spend money in a tit-for-tat fashion.

"That's why we're in the budget mess we're in," Evans said.

Some of the participants suggested that the state must reinvent the way it divides state money between public and private institutions. This year, the state will spend $1.3 billion on higher education.